Electronic article surveillance (“EAS”) systems are used to protect articles from unauthorized removal from a protected area. Such systems typically operate using a sensor affixed to the article being protected. The sensors are arranged such that, when activated, the sensors respond to an interrogation signal in a predictable manner, thereby allowing the interrogating device, e.g., reader, to determine that an active sensor is in the interrogation zone. For example, an interrogation zone may be established near the exit of a store so that articles with activated sensors trigger an alarm when detected by the reader.
EAS systems incorporate a network controller that communicates with each sensor in the network. This communication link between the network controller and the sensors can be either wired or wireless. Often, sensors that normally operate in a wired environment may need to be utilized in a wireless environment. It is desired to utilize these sensors without burdensome or costly changes in design or processing. Sensors and their wireless node functions may be incorporated into one operational unit. Alternately, the sensor is in communication with a wireless node in the network. The wireless node and the sensor communicate and manage the wireless functions. It is beneficial for the network controller to learn the status and overall health of wireless nodes within the network. However, current systems require the sensors themselves to interface with wireless nodes and to determine the relative health and status of each wireless node it is in contact with and report back to the network controller. When a wireless node is connected to or incorporated into a sensor, the sensor is burdened with the task of monitoring and reporting to the network controller the health of the wireless node and its functions.
Other wireless networks operate completely independent of the underlying sensor operation and report their status directly to the network controller. This creates two systems, the wired (or wireless) EAS sensor system, and the wireless network, resulting in an overall inefficient system from a management perspective. Thus, present systems either operate inefficiently under two independent systems, or operate in concert but place the burden of the assessment, management, and reporting of the wireless nodes' status directly on the sensors themselves.
Therefore, what is needed is a system and method for assessing and reporting wireless node health and status to a network controller without burdening or otherwise altering the design of sensor devices within the EAS system.